Beacon Lesson Plan Library

Medieval Castles

Nanette Merrell

Description

The students design a scale model of a medieval castle and its surroundings including the following items: castle, moat, bailey, drawbridge, turrets, dungeon, grounds, and outer walls.

Standards

Florida Sunshine State Standards
MA.B.1.2.1
The student uses concrete and graphic models to develop procedures for solving problems related to measurement including length, weight, time, temperature, perimeter, area, volume, and angles.

MA.B.1.2.2
The student solves real-world problems involving length, weight, perimeter, area, capacity, volume, time, temperature, and angles.

Florida Process Standards
Information Managers
01 Florida students locate, comprehend, interpret, evaluate, maintain, and apply information, concepts, and ideas found in literature, the arts, symbols, recordings, video and other graphic displays, and computer files in order to perform tasks and/or for enjoyment.

Numeric Problem Solvers
03 Florida students use numeric operations and concepts to describe, analyze, communicate, synthesize numeric data, and to identify and solve problems.

Critical and Creative Thinkers
04 Florida students use creative thinking skills to generate new ideas, make the best decision, recognize and solve problems through reasoning, interpret symbolic data, and develop efficient techniques for lifelong learning.

Materials

-Art paper
-Rulers
-Pencil
-Crayons
-Colored pencils

Preparations

1. Learn the meaning of the vocabulary.
2. Find some models or pictures of castles.
< 3. Find maps that show scale measurements in the legend or key.
4. Obtain needed materials.

Procedures

1. Discuss the vocabulary words from the objective of helping students visualize the parts of a castle.

2. Show pictures of castles or diagram a few of them on the board.

3. Discuss what a scale model is.

4. Show examples of scale modeling. Explain how a bailey might be 25 feet tall, but it could be drawn with 1/2 inch equaling a foot. Show how a scale model can be made and converted to on their drawings.

5. Help students come up with a legend and key that includes a measuring scale for their individual castles.

6. Brainstorm ideas of how a castle might look - modeling an example on the board. Students will form initial ideas for their own designs by watching how this is done on the board.

7. After modeling, allow class time for students to begin drawing their own models. Browse the classroom to check students' progress and offer assistance as needed. (A second 45-minute session may be used if additional time is needed for students to complete their drawings.)

8. Collect and assess students' work.

Assessments

Assess students' completed drawings. The students should have included in their drawings all the vocabulary words learned (labeling). They should also have a scale measurement key in their legend (MA.B.1.2.1 and MA.B.1.2.2). Evaluation may be determined from the following rubric:
*Outstanding = All vocabulary is used and scale measurement is accurate.
*Sufficient = Most of the vocabulary is used. Scale is accurate.
*Fairly Adequate = Part of the vocabulary is used. Scale is in place, but not necessarily accurate.
*Needs Improvement = Very few if no vocabulary are used. There is no scale.
*See Teacher = Project is incomplete and student didn't show that any vocabulary or scale modeling concepts were learned.

Extensions

Note: This is one of several lessons that coule be used with the reading of the Whipping Boy, Adam of the Road and The Door in the Wall.

1. Students can make an actual three dimensional model based on the designs they have created.
2. Students could write a diary pretending they are someone who is living in a castle either as nobility or as a serf.

Web Links

Web supplement for Medieval Castles
Medieval Castles

Web supplement for Medieval Castles
Castles